Simple survey helps identify those at high risk of COPD

South American researchers say a simple set of questions can identify people at risk of contracting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), even when they show no symptoms.

In an article published in the journal Respirology, researchers said they found answers to seven questions helped predict which patients would be categorized as having COPD when they took a spirometry test. The test measures the volume of air exhaled by the lungs.

The predictive factors are:

Gender

Age

Pack-years of smoking (A pack-year is defined as 20 cigarettes smoked every day for one year.)

Dyspnoea, or breathlessness

Presence of sputum

A cough

Whether the patient had previously taken a spirometry test

A score based on those factors predicted with 76 percent accuracy which patients could be classified as having COPD.

How COPD affects sufferers

COPD impairs breathing because of damaged lungs. It is most often caused by smoking, which takes a toll on the lungs’ ability to function efficiently. It is often a mix of two diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and sometimes, asthma.

The disease gets worse over time and damage to the lungs can’t be undone. It is most prevalent among people who are older and who have smoked, or had extensive exposure to harmful airborne particles.

As COPD gets worse, even simple tasks get harder. Breathing takes more energy and people often lose weight and get weaker. Some people take supplemental oxygen.

Flare-ups can occur, when the symptoms worsen sharply. Sometimes these are treated with medications.

Living with COPD

Experts say COPD sufferers can limit the effects of the disease by avoiding things that irritate their lungs. This especially means they should stop smoking, but experts also advise sufferers to use air filters in their homes, get as much exercise as they can and eat well to keep up their strength.

People with COPD are more vulnerable to infections, so experts advise they get a flu shot each year.

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